Starry Decisis

Yet another celestial sonnet

Like Astrophil, I search the subtle stars,

Yet find they keep their sordid secrets lock'd

Beyond the warlike scope of ruddy Mars

And by their art, my trial is sorely mock'd.

 

Why dost perplexing Heaven, fill'd with Signs,

Encode its soothsayings in such foul script?

What gods laid out these shimmering designs?

What cruel, celestial hand anoints our crypt?

 

Yet, still greater mysteries unfold

which wrest my upturn'd head from Jove's vast plane:

When Woman speaks, what spins her words to gold?

What sweet nectar of hers ensnares Man's brain?

 

Knew I this, I'd e'er renounce the skies;

No stars exceed the mystery of those eyes.

Author's Note

I tried to keep this as androgynous as possible so it can be read by both genders and still make sense. I'm not sure if I succeeded, though. I'm still not totally happy with it as a whole; any suggestions?

Some notes of clarification:

The title is taken from the legal term "stare decisis," which means "to uphold past precendent." I thought it fit the realm of the stars, so often associated with Fate.

Astrophil, mentioned in the first line, is a character invented by the poet/dramatist Sir Philip Sidney, who wrote a sonnet cycle called "Astrophil and Stella." Astrophil means "one who looks at the stars" and Stella obviously means "star." The sonnet cycle was about the man (Astrophil) who was in love with Stella, but Stella was, apparently, married.

Reviews

[Emily B]

oh, wow! Amazing use of form. I was swept away to another time, but out of time. This is truly lovely.